§ 29. Mr. David StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has made to the oil and gas industry task force; and if he will make a statement. [96374]
§ Mr. WilsonI participated in the most recent meeting of the Oil and Gas Task Force on 5 October, and expect to attend the last meeting of the Task Force in its current form, which is due to be held in early December. I am taking a very close interest in the oil industry and its service sector because we believe that it will continue to be enormously important to the UK economy for many years to come. We wish to see the industry and Government continue to work in partnership, with the objective being the maintenance of a vital UK Continental Shelf and the recognition of the UK as a world centre for the global oil and gas business.